Risk All for Love
by The Bloody Countess
Summary: HIGHSCHOOL LOVE Trilogy- Ryota's Story...Chapter 4 is now up! More and more people are getting involved in Operation: Love Match! ^_^
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk...bla bla bla...the usual crap. (but I'd give my eyeteeth to own it and the charas!)  
  
Notes: This is on Ryota and Ayako. It's actually a little side story of "All in the Game". If I have the characters acting a bit weird, please forgive me, a poor, struggling fanfic writer who thrives on the sweet and dangerous side of everything... Some Haruko bashing.  
  
  
  
Risk All for Love - Prologue   
  
  
It was another swell day for her. Earlier that morning, she had aced her biology test, and had received accolades for another incredibly written report on civilizations of the ancient world. Plus, she had gotten to see HIM. It didn't matter that he had gotten his head chewed off by their math teacher, but the cute way he blushed when she turned to look at him made her world a whole lot rosier.   
  
And here she was again, getting another chance to see him in action. To her, he was fantastic in every way. He was graceful on the hardcourt and moved with lightning fast reflexes, dashing from one end of the court to the other, passing the orange basketball to an open man or calling out plays.  
  
A flash of light caught on the single ear stud on his left ear, and this time, her heart skipped two beats.   
  
'Miyagi Ryota...why do you have to be so damn hunky?' Ayako thought longingly, drifting off into space for a minute.   
  
"A penny for your thoughts," a kind voice broke in and she snapped back to reality, seeing her own surprised, chocolate-brown orbs reflected in laughing grey-green ones that belonged to only one person. Her new-found friend, Maléna Hernandez, Coach Anzai's granddaughter who hailed from America.  
  
Ayako smiled, relaxing a bit before readjusting her baseball cap. "You gave me a fright there, girlfriend," she murmured, settling back in her chair.  
  
"Sorry." Maléna grinned apologetically. "You just kind of spaced out there, I got a little worried."  
  
Ayako averted her gaze from the scrimmage to her companion, a bit envious of how truly gorgeous she was. With her green eyes, thick eyelashes, and a glossy mane of mahogany cascading past her shoulders, Maléna possessed the kind of beauty that could leave one staring at her for hours on end. What was so amazing about it was that she wasn't even aware of the kind of effect she had on guys, and she dressed simply, with absolutely no make-up and fancy jewelry.  
  
And for one with a superstar status such as hers, she remained down-to-earth and friendly, earning both the respect and admiration of everyone. Including their small forward, Rukawa.   
  
Ayako could already tell that the sullen boy was beginning to show signs of affection for Maléna, no matter how much he tried to hide it. Their relationship was confusing, though. There were times he'd deny having feelings for her, and Maléna stubbornly refused to believe anything, making Ayako's job of matching them up together quite tedious and frustrating.  
  
For a moment, she wondered if it would be the same with her and Ryota. Would she still be in denial, even after admitting just how much she actually liked him? She already suspected that Ryota liked her, but was far too shy to say so. She, on the other hand, felt that she wasn't worthy of his attention, so she hid her feelings each day they were together during practice and hit him on the head with her tessen, instead.  
  
Ayako assumed that all Ryota felt for her was trivial and that it would die down in a couple of days if she continued to hit him on the head. But no matter how many bumps she gave him, he wouldn't stop making her heart pound with that familiar, crooked grin, or the childish way he called her 'Aya-chan.'  
  
"Have you ever been in love?" she asked Maléna, who looked amused.   
  
"No. Can't say I've ever been in love," the taller girl replied, eyes twinkling. "I've yet to experience that." Though younger than Ayako by a year, Maléna possessed a certain maturity that was very uncharacteristic for a 16-year-old.  
  
"Have you ever liked someone? You know, had a crush on someone before?" Ayako persisted, drawing a raised eyebrow from Maléna.  
  
"Once." She smiled with the memory. "He was really nice. I thought him handsome then, but..."  
  
"But?"  
  
"He was a foot shorter than me," Maléna said wryly, her nose crinkling.   
  
Ayako had to laugh. "Oh, the poor guy," she remarked.  
  
Pretending to be indignant, Maléna retorted, "Poor guy? Poor me! The only thing he ever asked me was if the back of his head was messy since he couldn't see it in the mirror!"   
  
That set off another round of giggles, but Maléna changed the topic. "Seriously, Aya-chan, why are you asking me these things all of a sudden?"  
  
"Well..." Ayako's voice trailed off, and she hesitated.  
  
"You know, you don't really need to tell me if you aren't ready," Maléna broke in, stopping when Ayako shook her head.  
  
"No, no...I wanted to tell you about a certain boy."  
  
The new coach looked mildly surprised. "I'm flattered you want to tell me these things, Aya-chan, but...why aren't you telling Haruko-chan? You've been friends longer, I think."  
  
She shook her head harder, her curls bouncing lightly from side to side. "I'd rather much tell you. Honestly girlfriend, Haruko-chan's a sweet girl, but really, there are times when she's so unreliable. And she wouldn't be able to listen to me because of her fixation with Rukawa."  
  
Nodding sagely, Maléna stood up and called the practice to a halt, dismissing everyone early. Turning to Ayako, she smiled. "We'll talk about this over coffee. I'm a little hungry."  
  
~*~*~  
TBC 


	2. Risk All for Love-Chapter One

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk...bla bla bla...the usual crap. (but I'd give my eyeteeth to own it and the charas!)  
  
Notes: This is on Ryota and Ayako. It's actually a little side story of "All in the Game". If I have the characters acting a bit weird, please forgive me, a poor, struggling fanfic writer who thrives on the sweet and dangerous side of everything... Some Haruko bashing.  
  
  
  
Risk All for Love - Chapter One  
  
  
Maléna took another sip from her cup and gave a sidelong glance at Ayako, who was fidgeting in her seat. This was rather unusual. She rarely had a bad case of nerves, and that usually happened only during important games.   
  
'Whoever that guy is that she likes so much must have that effect on her,' the tall red-head thought, surveying her friend.  
  
"Okay, my butt's getting sore...Spill," she ordered jokingly. Ayako, however, didn't crack a smile. She bit her lip, apprehensive. This was a lot tougher than she thought.  
  
"I...I..."  
  
"Ayako, I'm not leaving until you tell me. You promised you would."  
  
She remained silent for a long time, so Maléna decided to guess. "Is he someone from Shohoku?" she asked, draining the last of her coffee.  
  
Ayako nodded.  
  
"Is he someone I know?" Maléna continued, leaning forward a bit. This was getting to be interesting. Another nod confirmed her doubts, but she still couldn't figure out who the guy was.   
  
"Ummm..." She looked up at the ceiling as if hoping to find the answer written somewhere, but threw her hands up in surrender. "I give up, Aya-chan! I can't guess who your mystery guy is! Just tell me who it is that you like so much, so we can end this torture," Maléna begged, her green eyes turning luminous.  
  
"IthinkI'mfallingforRyota." She had said it in such a rush that Maléna drew back, looking thoroughly confused.  
  
"What?"  
  
Ayako frowned. "You heard me."  
  
Shaking her head, Maléna replied, "Nuh-uh, I didn't. What I heard was a tongue-twister that sounded like you had a frog in your throat. Take a deep breath and tell me. Slowly," she added, wagging a tapered finger for emphasis.  
  
Ayako did just that and...  
  
"I. Think. I'm. Falling. For. Ryota."  
  
Maléna grinned. "Who? Ryota? As in the little guy? Our point guard?" she asked.   
  
She could hardly believe it. She knew that Ryota liked Ayako, but she had never suspected that Ayako actually returned those feelings. She had hidden them too well for anyone to even notice. That HAD to take pretty good acting skills. Maléna briefly wondered if the Academy Awards were interested in awarding Ayako for Best Actress.   
  
Now that Ayako had gotten the load off her chest, she had gotten chatty, ranting on and on about Ryota. "I dunno, maybe it's not just liking. I mean, liking doesn't begin to cover it. He's just so damn handsome in the uniform, I can't help it. And that stud earring? WOW! I mean, like, WOW! As in totally hunky, dear friend of mine!"  
  
"So, this isn't just your ordinary kind of liking, is it?" Maléna interrupted, to which Ayako quickly shook her head.  
  
"No! I mean, I feel all flighty whenever he comes within a foot of me. And being in the same class with him just totally makes school worth it! Everytime I see him, he just looks more and more handsome. I just wish it were that easy..." she trailed off, looking wistfully outside the glass pane.  
  
Sighing, she turned back to her friend, seeking advice. "What should I do, Maléna? I can't play this game forever. It's getting harder each day."  
  
Maléna reached across to pat Ayako's hand, giving her a reassuring smile. "Just take it at a time and everything will fall into place, girlfriend. I may not feel what you're feeling towards anyone yet, but let me tell you this: If you risk everything for love, there are no regrets. It may be the most dangerous gamble, but it's also got the sweetest rewards."  
  
"But...but what if the stakes are too high? What if I'll end up hurt?" Ayako asked, fingering her curls.  
  
"Then get hurt and learn, learn and love again. The bravest ones are those who have fallen and gotten up, time and time again. In love, as in life, the stakes will always be high," Maléna said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.  
  
The petite manager nodded, her face taking on a determined look. She would be brave and talk to Ryota. She'd tell him how she felt...in a few days' time, she would...That was a promise to herself.  
  
"That's the best piece of advice I have ever received, girlfriend. Thanks," she declared, smiling gratefully.  
  
"Anytime," Maléna replied. "Just be sure to keep me posted on any developments."  
  
They both stood up and left the café in different directions, knowing that tomorrow would definitely be different for both of them. Unbeknownst to them, the boys were having their own discussion among themselves...  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Are you out of your mind? That's about the crappiest line ever invented! Where'd you get that?! From an old movie?!" Ryota yelled disbelievingly, waving his arms in the air and looking thoroughly disgusted.  
  
Mitsui, on the other hand, looked insulted, as he was the one who had suggested it. "It's romantic and the girls love it! I use it all the time! The girls fall for it!"  
  
"Maybe the OTHER girls do, but NOT Aya-chan!" Ryota grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. He looked like a very imperious little maharaj in that position and Hanamichi stifled the urge to laugh.  
  
"Whatever! If you don't like our suggestions, you shouldn't have asked for our help in the first place," Mitsui sniffed, a little hurt. Kogure merely smiled.  
  
"Maa maa...It'll be alright tomorrow, Miyagi-kun...Just sleep on it, ne?"  
  
"That's the last thing I need," Ryota mumbled, stomping off and leaving his teammates behind.  
  
~*~*~  
TBC 


	3. Risk All for Love-Chapter Two

Disclaimers: Standard disclaimers apply...  
  
  
Author's notes: Sorry it took me quite a while to update this one. I've been quite busy lately, so Holy Week was about the only time I was able to get my juices flowing again after the past few weeks' tensions over my finals and my violin recital completely drained me of energy and gave me the worst case of flu.   
  
I only hope this chapter will compensate for the long delay. Enjoy!!! :)  
  
  
  
  
Risk All for Love - Chapter Two  
  
  
  
"Okay, run that by us again."  
  
Ryota Miyagi groaned and buried his face in his hands. "I got cold feet as soon as we reached the canteen," came the muffled reply.   
  
Mitsui and the rest of the team face-faulted. This was about the umpteenth time that Ryota had failed to tell Ayako about his feelings and the umpteenth time that another good plan had gone down the drain. It had been a good three weeks since they had all gathered to discuss their plan of action to get the two together, courtesy of Maléna who had asked for their help and yet, no soap.  
  
"Um...why didn't you follow our advice?" Kogure asked, adjusting his glasses.  
  
Ryota looked up. "I tried, but I got nervous again," he answered mournfully.  
  
Mitsui swore up and down this time, refusing to be told to hold his patience. "PATIENCE?! What damn patience?! I've run out of it a long time ago! This do'aho here isn't helping any!" he ranted, windmilling his arms around.   
  
Hanamichi tapped him on the shoulder. "Oi, Mitchy, isn't the Kitsune the only who can say 'do'aho' around here?"  
  
CRACK!  
  
"Itai!" The tall rebounder rubbed the back of his head where Mitsui's fist made contact.   
  
"Right about now, Sakuragi, my patience is gone and my brain has been thoroughly exhausted of all plans to get these two lovebirds together, so respect my right to curse and BACK OFF!" the outside shooter growled menacingly.  
  
Hanamichi snorted, still tending his bump. "Che! If Maléna hears you swearing, she'll do to you what she once did to me."   
  
Everyone else nodded sagely, remembering how the coach had literally slapped some sense into the 'tensai.' Mitsui said something in a muted mumble and sat down, still glowering and surrounded by a dark thundercloud. Ryota was a good friend, but this was one of those times he definitely wanted to revert to his gangster ways and strangle the guy. And right now, his hands itched to get at Ryota's throat.  
  
The doors slid open and in walked a tired and disgruntled Maléna. To any other person, she still looked every inch the perfect beauty made for the cover of a magazine, not a single strand of hair out of place. The cagers of Shohoku, however, knew better. She was definitely haggard this morning, giving most of them a harrassed look.   
  
Averting her gaze to Mitsui, she lifted her shoulders in silent question as if to say, "Did it go okay?"   
  
The handsome shooting guard shook his head and mouthed "No, it didn't," dramatically rolling his eyes before pointing to a bent-over Ryota and making motions of wanting to throttle him.   
  
She made a noisy sigh just then, slapping her palm to her forehead in sheer frustration. This was getting to be tedious. And crazy. The way her friends were carrying on with their little love game was becoming a pain in the neck, a thorn in her backside, and an itch she couldn't reach.   
  
'If neither of them will make the first move, I swear I'll be taking matters into my own hands,' she thought, looking over to where Ayako was busy with the new recruits, punctuating each sentence with a loud whack of her tessen.  
  
WHACK! "That's not how it's done!"  
  
WHACK! "Did you just join this team because you wanted to catch Maléna's attention?!"  
  
WHACK! "Bend your knees, for crying out loud! Didn't you oil your joints enough this morning?"  
  
Shaking her head, Maléna sighed again. Maybe Ayako had summoned enough courage to talk to Ryota already. She'd talk to her later during the break. She stood up, clapping her hands to get everyone's attention and calling for them to begin the scrimmage.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
Ayako's blush turned a darker shade of red, almost as red as her baseball cap as she continued to stare at the ground, cracking her knuckles. "I didn't tell him," she repeated, this time more faintly as Maléna's eyes nearly crossed.  
  
"Why?" the other girl wanted to know, frowning slightly. To Ayako, Maléna was beginning to look quite intimidating as she seemed to tower over her more this time than the last.  
  
They were standing outside the gym, talking in a more secluded area where no one would think of searching for them. From the way the conversation was going, Maléna was beginning to look irritated, her hackles starting to rise.  
  
"I..."  
  
"A. YA. KO," the Latina bit out, massaging the bridge of her nose in an effort to restrain herself.  
  
"I got nervous," Ayako helplessly shrugged.  
  
WHACK!  
  
"Itai! What was that for?" the manager demanded, rubbing her head where Maléna had hit her with her own tessen.  
  
"Nothing," the latter answered. "I just wanted you to get a taste of your own paper fan so you can see how darn slow on the uptake you both are. For pete's sake, it's been nearly a month and you mean to say neither one of you has had the guts to talk to each other and get up close and personal?"  
  
Ayako shook her head. "It's even more difficult than I imagined."  
  
"Want me to hit you again after I hit him?"  
  
She shook her head more vigorously now, her curly hair bouncing. "No, don't bother," she said, a little too hastily as Maléna's eyes narrowed.  
  
"Then what?" Maléna demanded.  
  
"Just help me, please?"  
  
"Ayako, I've come up with so many plans, I think the wheels in my head are starting rust. But if you want, I'll be giving it one last try. Just wait and see."  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
And wait and see Ayako did while Maléna and the rest planned their course of action. Of course, it wasn't easy, what with having to be in the same gymasium with the object of her affection almost everyday.   
  
She only hoped that Maléna would come up with a really good plan and soon, or else she'd be graduating without admitting how she felt for Ryota.  
  
'Maléna, I hope you know what you're doing...'  
  
  
~*~*~  
TBC 


	4. Risk All for Love-Chapter Three

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk...bla bla bla...the usual crap. (but I'd give my eyeteeth to own it and the charas!)  
  
Notes: After a loooong while, I've decided to get the ball rolling...er...bouncing...for this fic. So far, this is the longest chapter I have written for this story and I do hope you'll like it...  
  
  
  
Risk All for Love - Chapter Three  
  
  
  
Ryota Miyagi was happy. In fact, he was now floating in a sea of rose petals and cherry blossoms, laughing along with his Aya-chan. As he chased after her, he couldn't help but smile dreamily at the way she looked, surrounded by pink and red petals, her curly hair framing her oval face. Suddenly...  
  
"Ryota...do you like basketball?" his angel asked.  
  
"H-hai! Demo...I like you more, Aya-chan!" the point guard declared, feeling his chest expand at her delight.  
  
Ayako smiled. "Ryota..." she whispered, leaning forward ever-so-slowly...  
  
"Aya-chan..." he sighed and leaned forward as well, puckering his lips slightly, eagerly anticipating the kiss.  
  
  
  
"GYAAAAAHHHHH! Ryo-chin~! What the f**k are you trying to do?! Get the HELL away from me, you weirdo!!!!!!!" a red-faced Hanamichi screamed, pushing the sophomore away from him in total fear.  
  
Ryota's eyes shot open when he felt the rebounder's large hands shove his face upwards as he struggled to get off from his sprawled position on the floor. Realization dawned on him that he had almost tried to kiss Hanamichi, so lost was he in his daydreams (And boy, were they getting worse with each passing day!).  
  
"EEEEEAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!" His scream echoed that of the red-head's and he immediately scrambled up, scooting away from Hanamichi as far as possible, earning laughter from everyone in the gymnasium.  
  
On the sidelines, MalÃ©na struggled not to laugh, finding it extremely difficult to swallow the fit of giggles bubbling up in her throat. Mitsui however, was not as discreet, slapping his thigh at the sheer hilarity of it all while clutching his sides with the other hand and laughing aloud. Even polite Kogure's shoulders were shaking with silent laughter and surprisingly, Akagi was fighting back a grin.  
  
Watching the two boys from the other side of the court, Rukawa snorted. "Futari dono do'aho..." he muttered, stealing yet another glance at MalÃ©na before continuing his shooting practice. (A.N: Forgive my japanese! It's not perfect! _)  
  
Meanwhile, Hanamichi was still screaming like mad, pointing at Ryota while MalÃ©na tried to appease him. "He's going to kill me! He's going to give me cooties and kill me! AAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!"  
  
"Calm down, Hanamichi...just calm down and take deep breaths..."  
  
"Yeah," Yasuda agreed, choking down on his laughter. "It's not like Miyagi- kun was aware of...of that...that..."  
  
"KORA!!!! TEME NO BAKA!!!! Shorty tried to kill the tensai!!! He's after the tensai's skills! And we all know Shorty can't rebound! He's gonna embalm my head after he's done butchering me to absorb all my powers!!!!"  
  
Everyone sweatdropped.  
  
'Where he gets those kinds of morbid thoughts, I have to wonder,' Akagi mused, watching as the two red-heads argued, one looking panicked and the other looking like she just swallowed a spike.  
  
Ryota let the remark about his height pass, so embarrassed was he to let himself get carried away by another daydream. And in the middle of practice at that!  
  
'Kuso!' he thought. 'This one's worse than the last! I'm losing it! I'm really, totally losing it!'  
  
From her place on the benches, Ayako sighed, shaking her head. Sometimes Ryota acted like a prepubescent, what with the way he seemed to be spacing out more often.  
  
'Look who's talking! You zone out more often than you used to, now! I'd say you're equal,' a little voice inside her head spoke up reprovingly. Ayako told it to shut the HELL up.  
  
This was just great! If this kept up, they'd screw every coming game and she'd end up messing up all the records she kept and they'd have to get a new manager to do a much more efficient job.  
  
'Oh stop exaggerating!' Ayako scolded herself. 'After all, it's just practice...as if you aren't used to the weird things that happen everyday.'  
  
"Alright! Enough of this! Everyone get back to practice!!! MOVE!" Akagi roared, reverting to his Gorilla countenance.  
  
"YOSH!"  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
"Sooo...you thought of a way to hook up the two yet?" Mitsui asked, wiping the last traces of sweat from his brow. Hanamichi stopped drinking from the fountain just as Kogure came out of the locker room, all three of them eager to hear what MalÃ©na had planned.  
  
She nodded affirmatively, giving a secret smile that brought them to attention.  
  
"Whoa! No way! What is it?" Hanamichi wanted to know, barely able to contain his excitement. Kogure immediately shushed him. They leaned in closer, making it look more like a comical sort of huddle as MalÃ©na debriefed them on her plan.  
  
"I've already decided to take matters into my own hands. Later tonight, I'll call this little restaurant my grandparents went to in their teens and I'm going to make reservations for two."  
  
Kogure looked curious. "Under whose name?"  
  
"Under Ryota's name, of course. We can't have Ayako thinking that chivalry is dead, you know."  
  
"Eh?" Hanamichi gaped at her. "Chiva-whatsit?"  
  
She shook her head. "Never mind. Anyway, here's where you come in..." She paused to take in a deep breath as the three boys leaned forward expectantly.  
  
"...you have to help me forge their handwriting," she said, looking them straight in the eyes.  
  
Hanamichi was shocked, his brown eyes flickering as he tried to digest what MalÃ©na had just said. "NANI?! Are you serious?! Isn't that punishable by law?"  
  
Mistui whacked him on the head again, annoyed that he kept interrupting and that his voice was FAR too loud. "Idiot! Shut up and let her finish."  
  
"You guys have to help me forge their handwriting so we can make it look like one is inviting the other out to dinner. Capish?"  
  
Mitsui looked a bit uneasy now and he cleared his throat. "Okaaay...but there's a minor setback, MalÃ©na."  
  
"Then explain," she encouraged, knowing that this boy worshipped the ground her grandfather walked on and would do anything and everything for him.  
  
The shooting guard looked rather sheepish as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Well, none of us are that 'artistic' enough to pull that off. Much as I want to, forging's not my forte."  
  
Surprisingly, she only smiled, the wheels in her head shifting to high gear as she began looking for other options. "I thought you'd say that. Don't worry, Rukawa will do the forging for us and you'll give the invitations."  
  
"Of course, this is a covert operation, so do it discreetly AND with style," she reminded them.  
  
"How'd you convince the Kitsune anyways?" Hanamichi wondered, eyeing MalÃ©na cautiously. Mitsui and Kogure snickered in the background. MalÃ©na was STILL oblivious to Rukawa's 'charms' and to the fact that their ace had the biggest crush on her.  
  
"Actually, he doesn't know about our plan, yet. I have to convince him later."  
  
Mitsui recovered quickly from his silent laughter, grinning at MalÃ©na's recklessness. "You sound so confident."  
  
"That's because I am, Mitsui. This one's in the bag."  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
As usual, Rukawa stayed behind to practice, constantly looking for ways to polish his techniques -- which was much easier now, since he had MalÃ©na to help him on that -- and went home late in the night except when there were examinations that had the whole team sleeping overnight at the Anzai residence for a group study.  
  
As he continued shooting free throws, he spotted MalÃ©na walking towards him from the corner of his eye. Instead of greeting her, he decided to play it cool and pretended not to notice her. Of course, it didn't help that images of her starry grey-green eyes, fiery-red hair and full lips kept gleefully marching into the territory of his poor mind whenever they talked or even when stray thoughts about her entered every crevice of his brain.  
  
Stopping just a few feet away from him, MalÃ©na opened her mouth to speak. "Rukawa, I need you to do me a favor."  
  
The pale boy shrugged, delivering another effortless free-throw. "Ask away."  
  
"Can you forge handwriting for me?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
The ball rolled out of his grasp, just as he was aiming for another free- throw, shock driving all thoughts about basketball out of his head and out the window. Was MalÃ©na actually ASKING him to do something ILLEGAL? Was she actually ASKING him to commit FORGERY? He turned shocked dark eyes to serious green ones, desperately wishing that he had heard wrong.  
  
"You heard me right, Rukawa. I want you to forge handwriting."  
  
The said boy looked confused, part of him wondering if he shared his name with some other individual in Kanagawa or in Japan in order to escape this.  
  
"Why me?" he asked, pointing a finger to himself.  
  
"Because, even if you deny it, I know for a fact that you've got the neatest and most legible penmanship among your teammates. Forging should be a snap for you," MalÃ©na replied, keeping a firm hold on her 'eternal patience.'  
  
"What's in it for me?" Rukawa Kaede wanted to know, finally understanding that this was a two-way deal.  
  
MalÃ©na seemed to take that into consideration and she stroked her chin thoughtfully before finally deciding on a reward for his efforts. "How about another free private lesson to brush up on your technique?" she suggested, extending her hand.  
  
He nodded his consent, accepting her outstretched hand and shook it. "Deal."  
  
"Thanks. Now let me do a little explaining..."  
  
  
  
AFTER 30 MINUTES...  
  
  
  
"That's it? That's your plan?" the fox-eyed ace shook his head disbelievingly. Did the other guys already agree to this insanity?  
  
MalÃ©na nodded her head vigorously, her arms crossed over her chest. "Uh- huh. Best way to get Ryota and Ayako together, since they haven't followed my advice or the other guys' advice since three weeks ago."  
  
"You mean to set them up on a date?"  
  
"Yeah. That's why I need YOU to forge their handwriting."  
  
He sighed defeatedly, wondering why he always managed to get himself into these fixes. "You have samples of their handwriting?"  
  
"Right here. Can you do it?"  
  
"No problem. But I'll be doing this just once and then no more forging."  
  
She laughed half-sarcastically, half-amusedly. "Don't worry about it, Sergeant Pepper. I won't be availing of your services after this."  
  
Saying that, she gathered up her things and left, leaving the poor kitsune with two handwriting samples he had to forge and a letter dictating him on what to write.  
  
"Yare yare...why do I always get myself involved in these things?" he wondered aloud, suddenly losing his appetite for practice.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
TBC  
  
  
  
A.N: Ohmigosh! What will happen next? Will this plan succeed? Will Ryota and Ayako end up together? Will Rukawa manage to perfectly forge the handwriting? Will the author never stop asking all these annoying questions? Stay tuned for the next chapter! ^_~ 


	5. Risk All for Love-Chapter Four

Disclaimers: Standard disclaimers apply to this fic and all its succeeding chapters...(I'm beginning to think of conserving typing space, so THERE!)  
  
  
  
Risk All for Love - Chapter Four  
  
  
  
Ryota,  
  
I know you might think this a little off and all, but I'd like us to meet and talk at the little restaurant by the dock. It's called La Primavera...I'll meet you there at around 8:30, tomorrow evening…  
  
Ayako  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
Aya-chan,  
  
I've been wanting some time alone to talk to you and I think tomorrow would be the best time. I'll be at the dockside restaurant. You'll find a small wooden sign that says La Primavera…See you at 8: 30, tomorrow evening. I'll be waiting.  
  
Ryota  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
"Are they okay?" a dull, monotone voice asked.  
  
Maléna scanned the stationery, giving Rukawa a thumbs-up and flashed him a grateful smile.  
  
"Perfect," she declared, slipping the cards into their respective envelopes before handing them to Mitsui and Kogure.  
  
The handwriting was perfectly forged and nobody could tell that they were merely copied. Rukawa had definitely done an excellent job on this.  
  
"There are times, Rukawa, when you are so incredible that I could just kiss you," she joked, unaware that the tall boy had gone rigid, as she had turned to Hanamichi to remind him to talk to Yohei about the plan.  
  
Mitsui and Kogure noticed Rukawa's instant reaction, but wisely said nothing. In time, they realized, he would summon up enough courage to tell Maléna how he truly felt. For now, they had to concentrate on finding love for their two other friends.  
  
Both seniors had to wonder how Maléna would be able to pull everything off without Ryota or Ayako suspecting them. They were nervous and at the same time, they felt reassured that Anzai-sensei's granddaughter was there to take care of everything.  
  
Now on to the 'covert operation.'  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
Ryota had just come out of the showers when he noticed a slip of paper sticking out from his locker. 'Must be for Rukawa from his ever-growing fan club,' he thought, crossing the room to get the paper.  
  
Upon closer inspection, the slip of paper was a sky-blue envelope that looked thin enough to be blown over by the slightest puff of air. However, when Ryota turned it over, he got the shock of his life.  
  
The envelope was addressed to him.  
  
'Whoa! This is SO not possible!' he said to himself, nearly reeling over at the sight. Since when did people start writing to HIM, the shortest guy on the team?  
  
The letters were a computerized font, so he couldn't tell who had written to him. His hands trembled as he slowly opened the envelope, carefully drawing out the smaller card inside.  
  
What he read next completely bowled him over and the card and envelope slowly fluttered from his hands down to the cold concrete. Time seemed to have stopped for him, and the locker room was so eerily quiet that he could only hear the heavy beating of his heart, growing louder as it continued to pound incessantly against his chest.  
  
'I'm dreaming…'  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
Mitsui came out of the showers, humming one of the sappy love songs he had heard on Kogure's portable radio a few minutes ago. He was so busy toweling his face that he had forgotten to look where he was going and collided into something heavy.  
  
"Ooof! Hey, Ryota!!! What the heck's gotten into you…?" he trailed off, suddenly noticing that the point guard hadn't even budged. In fact, he was beginning to resemble a marble statue and had obviously forgotten to breathe.  
  
Mitsui panicked and shook his friend roughly by the shoulders. "Oi, Miyagi! Take a breath before you pass out!"  
  
That snapped Ryota out of his trance and he looked up at the ex-gangster. "Huh? Wha ~ ?"  
  
"Just what the hell is wrong with you, forgetting to breathe like that all of a sudden? Is the sky falling or something?" Mitsui demanded.  
  
Wordlessly, the sophomore pointed to the slips of paper that had fallen at his feet, still with the same shocked expression on his face as if someone had pushed the pause button on him.  
  
"Eh?" Mitsui picked them up, secretly clapping himself on the back for completing the first phase of 'Operation: Love match.'  
  
He scanned the tiny handwriting and put on his best 'delighted face' and socked Ryota on the arm. "You stud, you! Ayako asked you out to dinner! You are so damn lucky!"  
  
Ryota didn't respond to that. His thoughts were hopelessly muddled up and not even a shake of the head could clear them. "I…I…"  
  
"Oi, your mouth is hanging open, 'aho. You aren't planning to catch a few flies with it, are you?" Mitsui elbowed him playfully in the ribs, grinning like mad. 'Thank god he doesn't suspect a thing…then again, he's too floored to even suspect!'  
  
Ryota wisely closed his mouth shut, but his eyes still looked wide and unfocused as he stared blankly at his teammate.  
  
"Mitsui! What's with all the noise? I thought I heard something." A refreshed Kogure came out of the shower stalls, holding up a towel around his waist with one hand as he struggled to open his locker with the other.  
  
The vice-captain then noticed his diminutive teammate staring off into space. "Eh? What's with him?" he asked, jerking a thumb to Ryota, although he already knew.  
  
Mitsui shrugged. "Oh, it's nothing…just that Ayako asked him out to dinner," he answered, putting emphasis on the words 'asked' and 'dinner' while pleasantly patting Ryota on the shoulder blades.  
  
"Honto ni? That's great, Miyagi-kun! I'm happy for you…maybe now, you can tell her how you feel."  
  
"Yeah! I just hope you won't screw up on this one," Mitsui laughed.  
  
As the two seniors chattered excitedly, Ryota's brain slowly digested the information. Piece by piece, the words came into place and then he suddenly looked up, grinning broadly. Ayako had asked him out!  
  
"She asked me out…" he mumbled, making Mitsui and Kogure whirl around to face him.  
  
"Oh good, he got his voice back," Mitsui smirked, poking Ryota slyly in the ribs.  
  
"I…can't believe it…Aya-chan actually asked me out…she…"  
  
"…asked you out. We know, we know!" Kogure and Mitsui replied in unison, mirroring his smile with their own genuine ones.  
  
Kogure placed a hand on his teammate's shoulder. "If you need any help, you know…picking the right gift for her, let us know, okay?"  
  
A determined look crossed Ryota's face and he immediately strode towards the locker room exit. "Yosh! I'll go to the mall right now! You guys come with me!"  
  
"Miyagi! You aren't planning on going to the mall in a towel now, are you?" Mitsui called out, making Kogure laugh.  
  
The said boy stopped short in his tracks, looked down and immediately turned 255 shades of red. He hurried back to his chuckling teammates, shooting them glares that, however, melted into a sappy grin.  
  
"Let's hurry before the mall closes, ne?" He grabbed a clean shirt, underwear, track pants and quickly changed, slipping on his sneakers and running out the door before Mitsui and Kogure had finished.  
  
"Matte! Miyagi-kun! Wait for us!"  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
"I'm telling you, Youhei, this plan's bound to work!"  
  
Mito Youhei cocked an eyebrow at the person seated beside him on the swings. "Are you sure it will, Hanamichi? Because if it won't, I might get fired and their date might not go as smoothly as we want it to go."  
  
"It WILL, okay!" Hanamichi stubbornly grated in through clenched teeth. "Maléna planned everything carefully and I trust her. We all trust her."  
  
"Hehe, yeah…and just a month ago, you said you hated her guts," the second- in-command of the Sakuragi gundan pointed out, half-smiling.  
  
"That was a MONTH ago!" Hanamichi protested hotly. "Besides, she's a cool person to be with. That's why the Kitsune likes her so much."  
  
The reason why Hanamichi had to let his friend in on the plan was because he was employed at the restaurant, which was to be the setting for the so- called 'romantic rendezvous.'  
  
Youhei had been working there for almost two months and he had to agree that La Primavera was definitely THE place for their strategy to work. Although relatively quaint, the restaurant brought about an ambiance that attracted people from all walks of life to wine and dine there.  
  
"Okay…I'll help out…just make sure that they don't suspect a thing," Youhei warned, finally conceding to Hanamichi's pleas.  
  
"Aa…arigatou, Youhei! The tensai can DEFINITELY trust you!"  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
Ayako sighed and wiped a hand over her brow, satisfied with the team after a long day of practice. As she turned back to her knapsack, she noticed something pink sticking out. When she unzipped her bag, she found it to be an envelope addressed to her.  
  
'Someone must have placed it in my bag when I wasn't looking,' she though to herself, casually opening the envelope to read the note inside.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, Maléna hid a grin as she watched the play of emotions on her friend's face as she scanned the note again and again and again.  
  
For a while, all was quiet until Ayako let out a thrill-filled scream.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!"  
  
Maléna hurriedly got up, nearly knocking the chair over as she hurried to the manageress. "Aya-chan, what's wrong?"  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!"  
  
"Does it have anything to do with the note?"  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!"  
  
"What did the note say?"  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!"  
  
"My goodness, Ayako! Have you forgotten to breathe?!"  
  
She stopped screaming then and thrust the note into Maléna's hands, panting heavily. As Maléna scanned through the small sheet, a bright smile lit up her face and she looked back at Ayako.  
  
"Oh my God! Ryota asked you out!" she exclaimed, secretly thankful that Ayako didn't notice Rukawa's forgery of Ryota's handwriting.  
  
The said girl beamed at her in response, her brown eyes sparkling. "I know, I know! Isn't it wonderful?"  
  
Maléna nodded her agreement. "Lucky you," she said, gently squeezing Ayako's hand.  
  
"Now, I think we have some shopping to do tomorrow," the taller girl declared, draping an arm across the petite sophomore's shoulders.  
  
"Absolutely!" Ayako assented. This was DEFINTELY the best day of her life.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
1.1 ANZAI RESIDENCE  
  
When Maléna got home, the phone was ringing off the hook and she dashed to answer it.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Did phase one go as planned?" Rukawa's infamous monotone greeted her.  
  
"Yup. I'm really grateful for your contribution, Rukawa. You're one in a million."  
  
On the other line, Rukawa felt the temperature in his body rise. "It's no big deal…" he replied softly, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.  
  
"Yeah…but seriously, you've been a big help, Rukawa. Thanks all the same," Maléna responded, sincerely.  
  
A beep told her that she had call waiting so she bid her caller a hasty goodbye, promising him the free lesson and telling him they would proceed to phase two tomorrow.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
TBC  
  
  
  
Notes: Next up, a shopping spree that nearly turns disastrous and a hilarious dinner date for our couple! 


End file.
